NETGEAR M4350 and Panasonic KAIROS Team Up

In a groundbreaking move for the live video production industry, NETGEAR has unveiled a strategic interoperability partnership with Panasonic Connect, centered around the revolutionary KAIROS IT/IP Platform. While NETGEAR is renowned for its consumer networking solutions, it's also a key player in the realm of business networking products. On the other hand, Panasonic Connect, a vital arm of the Panasonic Group, is pivotal in advancing the Group’s B2B solutions. 

At the heart of this collaboration lies KAIROS, an innovative IT/IP Platform tailored for live productions. Leveraging Internet Protocol (IP) technology, KAIROS enables seamless transmission of audio and video signals over network cables, offering unparalleled control for broadcast, large screen displays, and livestreams.

One of KAIROS' standout features is its compatibility with ST 2110, a suite of standards developed by SMPTE, facilitating professional media transmission over IP networks. This compatibility enhances flexibility in input/output connectivity, ensuring streamlined workflows for video professionals.

NETGEAR's M4350 series of managed switches, equipped with the proprietary NETGEAR AV OS, play a crucial role in powering the KAIROS ecosystem. Featuring a user-friendly interface and preconfigured profiles for major audio, video, and lighting protocols, these switches offer plug-and-play simplicity. Additionally, with features like redundant power supplies, Power over Ethernet (PoE), and ultra-quiet fans, they guarantee reliability and performance.

Tod Musgrave, senior broadcast BDM at NETGEAR, emphasized the ease of configuration provided by NETGEAR's solution, easing the transition for Broadcast Pro AV engineers into IP workflows. This sentiment was echoed by Kageyuki Fujimoto, lead manager of KAIROS Alliance Partners, highlighting the user-friendly design of the M4350 series as a catalyst for expanding SMPTE ST 2110 adoption in the video production market.

In conclusion, as the industry increasingly embraces network cable-based AV-over-IP systems, partnerships like the one between NETGEAR and Panasonic Connect are instrumental in driving innovation and easing the transition for professionals. With KAIROS at the forefront, backed by NETGEAR's robust infrastructure and intuitive configuration tools, the future of live video production looks promising, paving the way for seamless integration of cutting-edge technology into traditional workflows.

Read the full article by Pete Tomkies for Videomaker HERE